Two-stroke engines are generally lighter, simpler, and less expensive than four-stroke or diesel engines. Therefore, many devices utilize two-stroke engines. For instance, radio-controlled toys, small outboard boat motors, jet skis, off-road motorcycles, and lawn and garden equipment (e.g., chain saws, leaf blowers, and weed trimmers) typically employ a two-stroke engine. Although the above-mentioned advantages lead to the widespread use of two-stroke engines, these engines possess disadvantages as well. For instance, in a four-stroke engine, the crankcase is completely separate from the combustion chamber, so the crankcase can be filled with oil to lubricate the engine. On the other hand, a two-stroke engine includes no separate oil chamber. To lubricate a two-stroke engine, oil must be mixed into the fuel that is introduced into the engine. Without the proper amount of oil in the fuel-oil mixture, a two-stroke engine will quickly seize and malfunction. Consequently, great care must be taken to ensure that the proper ratio of fuel to oil is in the mixture that is introduced into the engine.
In most cases, fuel and oil are maintained in separate containers, and then manually metered into and mixed in a third container. This task not only requires multiple containers, but it can also be messy and difficult. Such difficulty in mixing the fuel and oil for a two-stroke engine is exacerbated by the fact that many people own more than one device that employs a two-stroke engine. Since each two-stroke engine generally requires its own particular ratio of fuel to oil, owners of more than one device using a two-stroke engine must repeat the aforementioned mixing process for each device.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a fuel and oil mixing device that allows a user to accurately and quickly mix the proper amounts of fuel and oil for multiple devices employing a two-stroke engine.